A little less than two months shy of its 16th anniversary, Seau's the Restaurant in Mission Valley shut down Wednesday, announced trustees for Junior Seau's estate

The longtime sports bar and restaurant where fans often went hoping to catch a glimpse of the former Chargers star linebacker was transformed into a memorial earlier this month as grief-stricken mourners gathered to pay tribute to their sports hero.

Seau took his life May 2, shooting himself in the chest.

Trustees for the Seau estate offered the following statement as the reason for the closure:

"The trustees made their decision to honor Seau’s legacy and preserve the memories of the excitement, fun and warmth that were the hallmarks of the restaurant during the famed linebacker’s lifetime. Without Seau’s charismatic leadership, it was felt that the future profitability of the restaurant could be in question."

The news statement released Wednesday also stressed that all employee payroll and accrued vacation commitments would be honored.

"Junior’s children and trustees want to extend a thank you to all of the patrons for the many years of support that helped make Seau’s such a unique local dining and entertainment venue," the statement read.

When it opened in 1996, Seau's was billed as San Diego’s largest sports restaurant, with 14,500 square feet of space. It featured stadium-inspired architecture and more than 60 TV screens, including a 150-square-foot projection-screen set.

Most recently, it had hosted a viewing of “American Idol” to cheer on Chula Vista native Jessica Sanchez.

At the time he opened the restaurant, Seau said, "My partner and I thought of having a restaurant that was bigger than life."

In the restaurant industry, it is not uncommon for well-known athletes to open dining spots and bars, hoping to capitalize on their celebrity appeal. The key to sustaining those dining endeavors, though, is to ensure they remain appealing without the personality.

"I think there has to be some draw other than just the person's name," said San Diego restaurant consultant Tom Kelley. "Other restaurants with owners who were famous and passed might continue on with family members involved or if they were known for special signature items, but Seau's seemed to revolve primarily around him and only him as opposed to, say,being the best steak house.

"He banked on the fact that his name would draw people in, and it did for a good part of its history but that waned after a while."

Years ago, the restaurant did suffer some financial turmoil when Seau’s original

business partner was charged with grand theft and forgery. In 1998, John

W. Gillette Jr. was sentenced to 10 years in prisonl He had swindled Seau

and 25 other sports stars of more than $11 million.

Gillette ultimately turned over his 50 percent share in the restaurant. Seau is now listed as the sole owner and managing member of Seau’s of San Diego, the limited liability company that owns the restaurant, according to his foundation’s website.